Hello! On behalf of Travis Stidham's family and friends, we are creating this account to support my son's closest friend and roommate. Travis is only 22 years old and should be spending this chapter of his life building his future, working hard, chasing adventure, and enjoying being young. Instead, he is lying in a hospital bed facing one of the most painful and uncertain battles of his life.

If you know Travis, you know he has always been the kind of kid who works hard for everything he has. He works full-time as a welder, often putting in long physical hours, and outside of work, riding boards is his passion. Skateboarding since he was 12, snowboarding since he was 15, and recently surfing at the Boise Whitewater Park — being active and outdoors is simply who he is.

On Tuesday, April 29th, while surfing at the Boise Whitewater Park, Travis suffered a devastating accident. After a fall, he was caught in the current and violently thrown into the next rapid where his right thigh slammed into a rock.

At first, Travis believed he had only badly bruised his leg. In true Travis fashion, he tried to tough it out. He continued surfing a few more times afterward and later rode his bike to dinner, never imagining the severity of the damage that had already begun inside his leg.

But later that night, everything changed. The pain became unbearable. His leg locked up, his thigh became rock solid, and he was rushed to the emergency room where doctors diagnosed him with compartment syndrome — a rare and life-threatening condition that can permanently destroy muscle and tissue if not treated immediately.

Travis was rushed into emergency surgery where surgeons had to remove a large section of damaged tissue from his right thigh and place a wound vac to control the internal bleeding and swelling. Since then, he has already undergone multiple surgeries and still has at least two more major surgeries ahead, including skin grafting procedures where doctors will take tissue from his left leg to try and repair the devastating damage to his right leg.

As I write this, Travis has been hospitalized for over a week. He cannot walk without assistance, cannot get out of bed on his own, and is facing transfer to a rehabilitation facility where medical professionals are still unsure how long his recovery will take. Days are now filled with surgeries, wound care, pain management, and the emotional toll of not knowing when — or if — life will feel normal again.

To make matters even harder, Travis does not have disability insurance and cannot collect unemployment while he recovers. At just 22 years old, this accident has completely turned his life upside down physically, emotionally, and financially. The medical bills are already overwhelming, and with no ability to work for the foreseeable future, the stress of simply surviving during recovery is becoming another painful burden he now has to carry.

Anyone who knows Travis knows he would never ask for help himself. He is humble, hardworking, independent, and the kind of friend who would show up for anyone without hesitation. Now he needs people to show up for him.

If you are able to donate, share this fundraiser, or simply keep Travis in your prayers, it would mean more than words can express. Every contribution will help relieve some of the financial pressure so he can focus entirely on healing and rebuilding his life.

Thank you for taking the time to read Travis’ story and for supporting such an incredible young man during the hardest time of his life.